Cops and Courts: May 24, 2014: Masked man robs Watsonville restaurant

Watsonville police are looking for a man who robbed a Watsonville restaurant at gunpoint on the 1400 block of Freedom Boulevard Thursday night.

About 8:50 p.m., a masked man walked into the Fosters Freeze at 1487 Freedom Blvd. and brandished what appeared to be a BB gun at an employee, Sgt. Henry Robles said. Authorities initially reported the weapon was a semi-automatic handgun.

"He kind of walked in directly to the clerk, pointed a handgun and demanded money," said Sgt. Saul Gonzalez.

The employee gave the man an undisclosed amount of cash, Gonzalez said. The robber fled south on Freedom Boulevard on foot.

No one was injured, Gonzalez said.

The robber is described as a 5-foot-7 Latino man with dark skin and a medium build. He wore a black mask, a black hooded jacket, black gloves, brown or black pants and black shoes.

Watsonville police ask anyone with information to call investigations at 831-768-3352 or leave an anonymous tip on the tipline at 831-728-3544 or by texting WATSPD to 888777.

Summit

The blaze was reported about 7 p.m. on the 7200 block of Soquel-San Jose Road near Amaya Ridge Road, said Cal Fire Capt. Tony Fata. No one was injured and no buildings were damaged, authorities said.

Firefighters contained the blaze by about 8 p.m., and firefighters stayed there through Friday morning to make sure it did not reignite, Fata said. Firefighters left and then returned to the area Friday afternoon to check on it.